I’ve really liked the idea of being able to borrow ebooks and audio books from my community library. I admit – I tried it. But I found it just one-step-too-many-clunky. You know – log onto the computer – log onto the library catalogue – log onto Overdrive – download the item – transfer to my device. No – not for me. Kindle ‘air-wave’ downloads I liked. Not this.

But then I noticed in my blogstream that Overdrive had released an App for the iPhone/iPad.

So I downloaded an App to test it – quickly searched my local library – and five minutes later was listening to my test book as I wrote this post. Superb!

This is a fantastic option for all education settings, and your community library.

Public, school, and college libraries now provide direct eBook downloads on the iPad® with the free OverDrive® Media Console™ app. The optimized app enables users at more than 13,000 libraries worldwide to wirelessly download and enjoy eBooks and digital audiobooks from a local library on the Apple® device. Popular and best-selling titles, including “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” by Stieg Larsson, “Unbroken” by Laura Hillenbrand, and “The Hunger Games” by Suzanne Collins, are a few of the Most Downloaded Books from the Library (www.overdrive.com/mostdownloaded). These digital books and more in popular genres like romance, mystery, thriller, and virtually every subject can now be borrowed from libraries and enjoyed in an optimized iPad app.

OverDrive’s app for iPad gives users wireless access to their library’s EPUB eBook and MP3 audiobook catalog without a PC. Users can find their library using the app’s “Get Books” feature, then browse for titles, check out with a valid library card, and download directly to the iPad. Brightness and text-size controls allow them to customize their eBook reading experience. Users can also create bookmarks and resume from the last point accessed. The eBook and audiobook titles from the library automatically expire in the app, so there is never a late fee.

The iPad app joins the previously released OverDrive apps for iPhone® and Android™, which have been downloaded by more than half a million users worldwide. In addition to iPad support, OverDrive’s app for iOS devices was updated to enable new features, including landscape and portrait orientation, support for hyperlinks, and an updated interface with a lending countdown calendar.

The real story. No two are alike.

Each BookBook is brought to life with hand craftsmanship and distressing, ensuring no two are exactly alike. From dual zippers with leather pulls, that at first glance look like bookmarks, to the sturdy reinforced hardback covers, BookBook is a vintage work of art built to protect modern day Macs.

Last day of the school holidays – yes indeed! Tomorrow is the first day of a new academic year. Surely that makes it a good excuse to share a bit of starwars fun to round off the summer holidays.

Stormtroopers 365 is a funny collection of daily shots of StarWars Stormtroopers. Some of these really are funny and the collection is a great bit of whimsey.

Stormtroopers 365 is a photo project starring TK455 and TK479, Stormtroopers in the Galactic Empire Army. The project began on April 3rd 2009 and should end on April 2nd 2010. Each day during this year, a new picture is added to the series. The pictures are posted to Flickr. This is where you need to go. You can also go to the Gallery page here but honestly that’s the same, you’ll eventually end up on Flickr. Face it, there’s no escape.